Kevin Wilson
Northern News Services

Resolute (Apr 15/02) - Operation Kigliqaqvik Ranger had a "standard first day" en route to Magnetic North, covering more than 139 kilometres last Wednesday.

The rest of the journey may prove to be more of a challenge.

"It was sort of a proving day for them," said Sgt. Peter Moon, the Ranger's public affairs agent on site in Resolute Bay.

The patrol set out early Wednesday from Resolute Bay on a 1,700-kilometre round-trip voyage.

Minor problems with some of the Rangers' snowmachines didn't hamper the patrol in the initial phases of the operation. However, shifting sea ice may present a problem as the 29 Rangers and officers forge onward.

"The satellite photos I've seen show huge leads in the sea ice," said Moon. That means large stretches of open water are forming, then re-freezing, creating treacherous conditions for snowmachines.

"What used to be a cakewalk is now becoming quite dangerous," said Moon.

The problem is compounded by the elusive nature of the pole, which has been creeping north by northwest over the last 100 years, moving into increasingly remote territory.

If current trends continue, a scenario that is by no means guaranteed, Magnetic North is expected to move out of Canada and into Siberia within 50 years. It is just as likely to reverse course before then, however.

Moon said reports from the patrol indicate the troops are in good spirits, en route through what is known as Polar Bear Pass.

"They passed a hunting team returning to Resolute with a polar bear, and they've crossed over several polar bear tracks," said Moon.

The Rangers also reported no problems with their gear, save for a few qamutiks suffering broken runners. Each snowmachine is dragging around 450 kilograms of gear.

"The troops from south of the treeline found caribou skins to be a great comfort" when placed on the ground for insulation, said Moon.

Kigliqaqvik Ranger is the largest Ranger patrol ever conducted, drawing strength from all three territories.

Drawing on the Inuktitut word for "place at the edge of known land," the patrol commemorates the 60th anniversary of the irregular military force, and asserts sovereignty in Canada's Arctic.